Rivalry After Dark
by Lady Anaira
Summary: Seiya has returned to earth and Mamoru has some choice words for his "rival".


Trees rustled as a summer night breeze floated through the park. Angry azure eyes locked with cold royal blue orbs, as one young man stared down his rival.

"What are you doing here?" a steely voiced asked as he glared at his opponent.

"I cold ask you the same thing."

"Nothing happens on this planet that I am not aware of."

"Hmmph. I highly doubt that."

The gentleman sighed as he thought of the reason behind this person's sudden reappearance. "You can't have her." his voice calm but icy as his eyes went to the full moon above their heads.

"Is that jealousy I hear? Nevertheless, you cannot speak for her." Azure eyes narrowed in anger at the young man's presumptions.

"You don't seem to understand or dare I say you don't wish to." The lines around his mouth hardened at that thought. "She's not some plaything that you can trifle with when you please, Seiya-kun."

"The way you have Mamoru-kun?"

Mamoru's eyes closed in frustration, _Oh how I hate this woman and her self righteous attitudes._

"Or do you fear that Odango would choose a woman over you." Seiya smirked the idea sen wonderful chills through out her body. Now was the time to strike if she could drive a wedge of doubt into Mamoru's heart then Odango would be her's. "Perhaps you only think you love her because she was once Princess Serenity and you were Prince Endymion. Maybe you don't love her and only think its what you should do."

A ripple of electricity flowed forward from Mamoru shocking Seiya even as he laughed. The sound of his laughter set Seiya on edge as there was something primal and dangerous in that sound. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to antagonize the former Prince of Earth.

Mamoru's hands encompassed the area around them, "If you truly believe that then you are as much a fool as the rest of them were."

"Rest… of them?" Seiya stuttered just what was this man talking about.

"So she didn't tell you. Maybe you should wonder why that is, Seiya. Could she not trust you with the information? Or maybe she couldn't find it in herself to open up to you. My Usako isn't one to hold secrets at least not for very long." Mamoru smirked at the nervous look on Seiya's face. "The others, Demando, Beryl, Nehelannia, Ail and Ann, and well you know about Galaxia."

"Didn't they succeed."

"You don't seem to understand that temporary success is not a victory." Mamoru's cold voice retorted. "You are a fool if you believe it is"

"I am not fool, Mamoru-kun."

"Oh, but you are, You don't understand that I may have loved her as Endymion. I may have died for her then but I live for her now. Though I fought her love in the beginning it was I, Chiba Mamoru, not Prince Endymion whom fell in love with Tsukino Usagi, not Princess Serenity."

"What are you trying to say?"

"That I have loved my Usako from the moment we met long before my memories of the past were recovered."

"But you've been brainwashed."

"That may be so but I've always loved her. She always called out to me, who do you think healed me."

"Do you think she can trust you?"

"That is enough." Mamoru's voice rang out as another pulse of power left him in his anger.

Seiya felt the warm air turn icy as the gentle breeze soon turned rough, the trees in all their glorious strength bent to the will of Mamoru's power. "Can't handle the truth?"

"I know the truth, you are the one having problems. I refuse to allow you to hurt her."

"I think you've done enough of that for the both of us."

"Watch yourself little girl, you're on my planet and your forgetting your place. I am still Earth's Prince." The wind turned into a hurricane battering at Seiya's strength while Mamoru stood in the eye of its calm. "She is my betrothed, my future wife and Queen, the future mother of my children."

"I can stop it the future is not set in stone."

"I see you intend to continue fooling yourself into thinking you have a future with her." Mamoru pinched the bridge of his nose in mounting frustration. "We are the two halves of one soul, she is my destiny just as I am hers. You will not mar her happiness by making her feel guilt when she turns you down. Make her feel any kind of sorrow for your pain and there will be no place in any of the galaxies that you can hide from me."

"You think highly of yourself." the battering of wind pushed against him and Seiya realized that she had pushed Mamoru too far and now would be the time to retreat before he perished and never got a chance to turn the Odango's affection.

"Usa is mine just as Serenity is mine. You'd do well to accept that." Mamoru bit out as Seiya left him to his thoughts. The gale disappeared even as Seiya did. He would not allow this woman to come between him and his beloved. "You can come out now." Mamoru ordered the people who had danced on his radar since he had left his home.

"That was uncalled for Mamoru-san…" Ami began.

"Well I think he was well within his rights." Zoisite cut her off.

"Usa, is not a possession."

"No, Ami, she is not. She's my heart, the reason…"

"Yes, yes, we understand she's the ying to your yang. The light to your dark." Haruka interrupted, "It's all quite beautiful and you did a wonderful job of putting her in her place.. Just don't forget that Usa's happiness as well as fealty likes with you." Haruka chuckled, "Although I can't believe Seiya thinks she can come between you and my princess."

"There is no greater fool than a fool in love with someone they can't have." Zoisite said sagely, "But as Haruka has already stated."

"I am not concerned about Usako abandoning me. Not to say I'll be a fool and take advantage of her love but I belong to her. I always have and I always will. "Mamoru said as he turned to look at his three companions. "Now you three should be heading home."

"But your safety?" Ami questioned.

"The Princess requested that we keep you safe when you left so abruptly." Zoisite finished.

"For her peace of mind we agreed."

Mamoru laughed, "Is there anything she cannot get you to agree to."

"We'll escort you…"

"No escort is necessary, I'm going home to my beloved whom is waiting for me. I'll be fine and I'll reassure her."

"As you wish." they said as they left him standing alone illuminated by moonlight.


End file.
